Ain't I a Woman by Sojourner Truth

CRITICAL READING

Unit 2

Ain't I a Woman

Sojourner Truth

Summary

          Ain't I a Woman was a speech given by Sojourner Truth (1797-1883), an abolitionist, suffragette, and women's rights activist. She was an African American emancipated slave, born around 1797, in Swartekill, New York. She was born into slavery, and was sold at least four separate times in her childhood and early adulthood.  As a slave she experienced physical abuse, rape and violence.

.     She was illiterate. Her published autobiography was "The Narrative of Sojourner Truth, which she dictated to Olive Gilbert. She was forcibly married to Thomas, a slave, with whom she had five children. July 4, 1827, is generally recognized as the date of final emancipation, making New York the first state to abolish slavery. New York passed the Anti-Slavery Law of 1827 and freed the last enslaved people in New York on July 4, 1827. 

    Her original name was Isabella Baumfree. She had visions of God and took the name Sojourner Truth in 1843. She started preaching God's word and became a charismatic speaker working with women rights activists and fighting against slavery. 
    The speech was given at the women's rights convention in Akron, Ohio in 1851.The popular 'Ain't I a Woman' Speech was first published by Frances Gage in 1863, 12 years after the speech itself. Another version was published a month after the speech was given in the Anti-Slavery Bugle by Rev. Marius Robinson. In Robinson's Version the phrase 'Ain't I a Woman' is not present. 
    She describes the pain and suffering endured by her as slave woman while pointing out the great injustice done to blacks in America. She addressed her audience as 'children' in this speech She was a charismatic speaker and enthralls the audience with her powerful speech demanding basic human rights for blacks and voting rights for women. 
Truth begins by saying that where there is so much noise or chaos there must be disorder. The racket she is referring to the oppression and injustice done by whites. She discusses the basic human rights being debated by black men of southern states of America and women in the North such as abolition of slavery and voting rights for women. She believes that all the white men will be in a troublesome situation ("in a fix") because they will have to confront their own lies about equality and justice once black women assert their rights. Their position of power is threatened by the demand for true equality. 
  Strength:-   She counters the men's argument that women are weaker sex. She challenges the idea that women need special treatment and protection.   A man at the conference claims that women are delicate, weaker than men and need help with simple tasks, like getting into carriages or avoiding mud. Truth counters this by pointing out her own hard work and strength, insisting that she has done tough jobs like ploughing fields, planting trees and gathering grain into barns, just like men do. She has done more hard work than a man. She poses a rhetorical question  ain't I a woman? to the audience. She is equal with men in working as well as in eating when she got it and bore the physical violence, which was common for enslaved people. She has borne 13 children, most of whom were sold into slavery and when she cried in despair none heard except Jesus Christ.
Intellect: - Sojourner awards men twice the intelligence of women (a quart = a quarter) (one quart is equal to two pints). the men containing a larger container should not deny her even her smaller amount. This means that everyone should get what they need and deserve, regardless of differences in capacity.
Christianity: - Truth rejects the argument that women can't have as many rights as men. She counters the notion referring to Jesus Christ. Christ was a man, born of God and a woman (Mary). No man is involved in the birth of Jesus. Truth point outs the women's role in creation and the key role in bringing Jesus into the world. Truth speaks about the strength of women referring to biblical story of Eve, the first woman. Some claim that woman was responsible for eating forbidden fruit and committing a sin making the world upside down.  Now all the women in the world are strong enough to set things right. This is a clarion call for women to unite and plunge into action for their rights.

Speech

Delivered 1851
Women's Rights Convention, Old Stone Church (since demolished), Akron, Ohio

           Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that 'twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what's all this here talking about?

         That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?

            Then they talk about this thing in the head; what's this they call it? [member of audience whispers, "intellect"] That's it, honey. What's that got to do with women's rights or negroes' rights? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?

      Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him. 

      If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.

       Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain't got nothing more to say. 

racket (n) - is a loud unpleasant noise. - అల్లరి

kilter. (n) - in a state of not working well. సరిగ్గా పనిచేయని స్థితిలో

'twixt- preposition (old use or literary) uk  /twɪkst/ = between

be in a fix -To be in a troublesome situation/ be in a difficult or problematic situation. ఇబ్బందికర పరిస్థితిలో ఉండటం

 ditches (n) - a narrow channel dug at the side of a road or field, to hold or carry away water

గొయ్యి

 నీటిని నిలుపుకోవడానికి లేదా రవాణా చేయడానికి, రహదారి లేదా పొలం అంచున తవ్విన ఇరుకైన కాలువ

carriages - A carriage is a two- or four-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle for passengers

mud-puddles - noun : a small pool of dirty water usually left by a rain or storm బురద గుంతలు

plough - a large farming implement with one or more blades fixed in a frame, drawn over soil to turn it over and cut furrows in preparation for the planting of seeds.

barns- a large building on a farm in which animals or hay (= dried grass) and grain are keptధాన్యకొఠారు /  గిడ్డంగి

slavery - the activity of legally owning other people who are forced to work for or obey you బానిసత్వం

whisper - speak very softly using one's breath rather than one's throat, especially for the sake of secrecy:గుసగుస

  Obliged - (adj) -to be forced to do something or feel that you must do something.